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BMX

Tuesday, 26 September 2006

BMX used to be an extreme sport and has now made it into the Olympic Games. That's good news for Australia because it's ranked in the world's top five BMX countries. Sarah looks at the BMX revolution.

Presented by Sarah Martinelli (Episode 27)

When cycling champs Lance Armstrong and Robbie McEwen began their cycling careers it wasn't on bikes like these, it was on bikes like these - BMX bikes. BMX stands for bicycle moto-cross. And back then, in the 1980s riders who wanted to compete at the top had to switch to traditional racing bikes. But today, it's a different story, and BMX racing is even an Olympic sport!

Ash is 16, and although he's too young to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he'll be ready for the London Olympics in 2012.

ASH, BMX WORLD CHAMPION: I'm aiming for the Olympics, in 2012. Yeah, That's what I'm aiming for now.

In August, Ash became the world champion of his age group.

ASH: I didn't believe it. I was like, ‘Did I win?’ And everyone is like, ‘Yeah’. But did I win? I didn't believe it!

A decade ago, BMX was considered an extreme sport, but its popularity has increased thanks to very successful BMX competitions.

Wade is a former world champion, and Ash's coach. He says the arrival of BMX at the Olympics shows a changing attitude to sport.

WADE: The new kids want to do more exciting things now. They want to actively dive off the cliff and do three somersaults. Doing that on a BMX bike getting out there jumping 40 feet and having fun.

But what about skateboarding, could that be included in the Olympics? It's even more popular than BMX racing. Talent selectors from the Institute of Sport are interested in skateboarding because skateboarders have skills that can be transferred to an Olympic event, the snowboarding halfpipe.

And skateboarding isn't the only sport they're interested in. The Sports commission is spending 13 million over the next 4 years getting talent for various events, and it's already got some success in a completely new sport to Australia.

JASON GULBIN, AIS TALENT COORDINATOR: We were able to transfer the skills that surf beach sprinters had, very explosive characteristics which were important for the sport of skeleton and we were able to within 18 months, not only get Michelle Steel to the Olympic games but also able to produce a world junior champion in that time frame as well.

The sports commission is looking ahead by trying to predict what other sports will be big in the future, with some surprising answers.

JASON GULBIN: Even at the moment there is a group of video gamers who are lobbying the Chinese government to at least have video gaming as a demonstration sport at the Olympics. So you can never predict. So just as you were suprised that the BMX bandits are now and Olympic event, we may have Xboxers, Playstations, Nintendo freaks, who are now hoping to vie for Olympic medals in the future.